Our Refinishing Process
Our Refinishing process begins by preparing the fixture.
-All silicone or latex caulk is meticulously removed. The tub is thoroughly cleaned using an industrial strength detergent that eliminates all oil, dirt, soap scum and other contaminants that household cleaners cannot achieve.
Deglossing the surface.
-An acid etch is then carefully applied to degloss the surface. This creates microscopic pores that allow our topcoat to flow into and penetrate the surface of the tub and not just sit on top of a shiny, smooth surface. This step is crucial, because a shiny, smooth surface only allows the coating to only lie on top of the surface, resulting in poor adhesion and possible coating failure.
Repairing the surface.
-The next step is to repair any defects in the tub. We remove all rust, chips, gouges, scratches, pits or imperfections that have accumulated over the years using a waterproof filler.
The tub is then cleaned again using 100% Isopropyl Alcohol and finished off with a tack cloth to remove any remaining dust. The surface at this point has the dry and porous texture of a chalkboard and is ready for spray.
Preparing the room.
-At this point, we carefully prepare the room using dropcloths and begin masking off the entire perimeter of the fixture. We use a high performance, 3-stage HVLP spraying system, which atomizes the coatings into an extra fine mist. Our equipment yields an extremely smooth finish, while creating very little overspray. We then seal off the doorway, and setup an extremely efficient fume exhauster with a flexible hose that directs the majority of the fumes to the outside of the house. Some of the remaining fumes can be slightly unpleasant, so we add a bubble gum scent along with the mixed topcoat to help conceal them. Any lingering fumes generally dissipate within a few hours of completion.
Spraying the tub.
-The tub is then carefully inspected again for any remaining dust or debris, we then apply two coats of an Epoxy resin primer to further assure proper adhesion. When it dries shortly, we then apply three coats of our low VOCPoly-Glass High Gloss topcoat for optimal performance and thickness. This is an ECO-Friendly acrylic urethane coating that has a long proven record of durability and resilience in the refinishing industry.
That's it! The topcoat cures in approximately two hours and can be ready for use the very next day! Your tub looks and feels like new again and is ready for years of enjoyment!
